Parents and concerned residents heard about district plans to close one elementary school and expand East Middle School to include fifth graders.

School leaders said the moves are necessary because the district budget has been cut several million dollars over the past few years and enrollment has shrunk by half over the last 20 years.

"We get out of bed every morning to do the best thing we can to support all the children of West Seneca and to give them a high quality program," Superintendent Mark Crawford said. "We wouldn't be doing this if we thought that this would diminish that quality. We think that this plan is one way of assuring that we're going to deliver a high quality program to the kids in West Seneca."

Board members will consider the plan in February and make a decision. Dr Crawford warns there will be serious financial repercussions if the plan does not go forward.